Gardaí in crackdown on bank holiday drink-drivers

Gardaí are clamping down on drink-driving over the bank holiday weekend with a nationwide campaign that will include monitoring licensed premises.

The campaign will begin at 7pm this evening, and finish on June 7th.

A spokesman for the National Safety Council estimated that alcohol was a contributing factor in four out of every 10 driver, rider and pedestrian deaths.

According to the National Safety Council, drink-driving is a factor in one-third of all fatal crashes in Ireland. A recent survey showed that almost two in five drivers admitted getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol in the past 12 months.

A spokesman for the organisation estimated that alcohol was a contributing factor in four out of every 10 driver, rider and pedestrian deaths.

The announcement of the bank holiday weekend campaign comes only days after the the National Safety Council and the Garda Siochana launched a joint road safety campaign for the summer months, Arrive Alive, which focuses on drink-driving.

Speaking at the launch, the chairman of the National Safety Council, Eddie Shaw, said that summer was a dangerous time of year on Irish roads.

According to the organisation, an estimated 4,000 people have been killed or seriously injured in vehicle collisions in the three-month period of June, July and August over the past five years. Alcohol consumption is considered a significant factor in summer time roads deaths.

Over 160 people have died on Irish raods to date, compared with 146 in the same period last year; five people died and 94 were injured on Irish roads during last year's June bank holiday weekend.

Gardaí plan to monitor licensed premises and people leaving from them, and marked and unmarked patrol cars will be used to monitor driver behaviour. Checkpoints are also planed for the duration of the campaign. Members of the public are being encouraged to report suspected drink driving.